A/N: Another chapter which slowly moves the story along. There's no action I'm afraid but I hope you enjoy it nevertheless. Please read and review as I love to hear from you. Thanks for continuing to support me.
Chapter 4
It was late in the evening when Sam, Kensi and Deeks stopped by the hospital to check on Hetty and to catch up with Callen. They found him sitting by the bed, holding Hetty's hand while she slept. Callen looked up as he caught sight of his team mates. Gently removing his hand, Callen placed Hetty's hand down on the bed then got up and stepped outside the room. Callen hugged Kensi warmly and then shoulder hugged Sam and Deeks. Deeks handed Callen a bag containing some tacos and a coffee.
"Thanks Deeks" said Callen as he took the bag and opened it to see the goodies it contained and smirked at Sam's reaction to the junk food.
"I thought you'd want something other than what's available at the cafeteria" explained Deeks. Callen smiled and nodded and then noticed that Sam had brought his laptop.
"I guess Mosley's spoken to you" stated Callen.
"Yeah, said you were taking leave" replied Sam, a little miffed that he had to hear it from Mosley and not his friend.
Noticing Sam's tone, he added "Look, I'm sorry I didn't tell you but Mosley sort of pushed my hand. She wanted me back in the office and virtually forbade me from staying with Hetty. So I told her I was due leave and I'd use it to look after Hetty" explained Callen.
"Hey, good luck with that" quipped Deeks. "Ow!" Deeks said as Kensi punched him on the arm and gave him a hard stare. Callen and Sam chuckled as Deeks added. "I was just saying that Hetty's doesn't like to be fussed over."
"No she doesn't" agreed Callen.
"Just like someone else I know" muttered Sam.
Callen shot his friend a look and smirked but made no comment about his own feelings about being molly coddled. Instead he said "I have a few tricks up my sleeve to make her behave."
"How is she?" asked Kensi as she stepped closer to the glass door and looked at Hetty's sleeping figure. She noticed how small and vulnerable she still looked but a whole lot better than when they found her in the shed in Vietnam.
"Good considering what she's been through" said Callen sadly, turning his head to look at Hetty too. "I just wish we'd gotten to her sooner so she didn't have to suffer."
"She didn't make it easy for us Callen" said Kensi turning her attention back to her team leader, mentor and big brother figure.
"Yeah, she could've been a little less cryptic in her clues" added Deeks.
"But that's not Hetty's way" answered Callen. "She obviously felt it was something she had to do herself. She wanted to protect us and our careers so didn't want us involved."
"Now I know where you get it from" muttered Sam.
Callen smirked and said "I was taught by the best so I guess it's understandable I'd pick up some of her traits." He paused and looked at the faces of his friends and co-workers and knew that they would go to the ends of the earth for him and for Hetty regardless of the cost. "Anyway she left safeguards in place in case things went south. I'm just glad Eric and Nell figured it out in time."
"And Mosley allowed us to go" added Deeks.
"Well I was going regardless but I must admit having her backing helped" said Callen.
"You're not warming to her, are you?" asked Sam.
"No… perhaps …oh I don't know" said Callen. "She was sent to take over when Granger left and Hetty disappeared. I don't trust her and I've no doubt she's got a hidden agenda but it can't be easy for her." The others raised their eyebrows at their team leader's comment and Callen smirked. "I know. Anyways at the moment I'm just grateful she allowed us to go."
"Yeah and it would've been a lot harder without Chegwidden, Bridges and Langston" added Kensi.
"Really?" asked Deeks. "They're like the old guys in Space Cowboys but navy, not astronauts!"
Kensi and Sam rolled their eyes. Callen chuckled and said "They were a pain in the butt but they did help."
"And they figured out where Hetty was before anyone else" added Kensi.
"And they got us weapons and a helo" added Sam.
"Okay, so they were useful" concluded Deeks. "But they're still like the old guys in Space Cowboys" he added defiantly.
"Deeks, shut up!" said Kensi, Sam and Callen in unison which earned them his sad puppy dog look.
"You heard we gotta write reports?" asked Sam.
"Yeah, man" said Deeks. "What's all that about? I thought the operation was unsanctioned."
"It was but apparently she wants reports written" confirmed Callen.
"She's covering her butt" said Kensi.
"That's probably true" agreed Callen. "She did go off books with this one after all. She didn't seek approval before she allowed us to go or for the equipment she acquisitioned. There'll be fallout and she's gonna be in big trouble."
"Sure is" agreed Sam.
Callen suggested that Kensi and Deeks should sit with Hetty for a while but they declined saying they did not want to wake her and would visit her when she was better.
Kensi hugged Callen tightly and said "Just call if you need anything, okay?"
Callen nodded and said "Thanks Kens. I will."
Deeks shoulder hugged Callen and then Sam and followed Kensi from the ward, leaving Sam to keep Callen company.
"You good?" asked Sam as he watched Callen closely. "You look tired."
"Yeah I'm fine" replied Callen. "I've not slept properly, only cat napped."
"She's gonna be okay" said Sam picking up on his friend's concern for Hetty. "She's tough."
"Yeah I know" answered Callen "but I hate to think of what they did to her out there. We should've got to her sooner."
"Perhaps but as Kensi said Hetty didn't make it easy for any of us to find her. Look I know what she means to you but don't beat yourself up. There's nothing you could've done" said Sam looking closely at his best friend. "We got her back. Just concentrate on getting her well."
Callen looked over at Sam and a small smile tugged at his mouth. "You're right, Sam. She's back and now the battle begins."
Sam smiled at Callen's comment as he knew that Hetty would make Callen's life difficult when it came to him looking after her but he knew his friend was up for the task. Noticing a couch in Hetty's room Sam said "Go and lie down, try to sleep." When Callen tried to protest, Sam added "You'll be no match for Hetty if you're exhausted. Do as I say and I'll sit with her."
"Okay" said Callen reluctantly. "Wake me if there's any change."
They entered the room and Callen curled up on the couch whilst Sam went and sat in the chair recently vacated by his best friend. Sam was pleased that Callen fell asleep almost immediately. He hoped that he would get some much needed rest and not be disturbed by nightmares as was often the case. He looked down at Hetty and smiled as she was sleeping peacefully too.
Sam was happy to be of use to his friend for he had nothing to go back to but an empty boat. Since the love of his life had been murdered, Sam's life had been turned upside down and apart from his children, friends and his work he had nothing. He had sold the family home as it held too many memories and it was too big for him now that the kids were both away at military school. Sam settled down for what promised to be a long but quiet night.
Sometime during the night Sam woke suddenly with the feeling that he was being watched. He glanced around the room while he reached for his gun and noticed that Callen was still asleep. He relaxed a little for if his friend was still asleep then danger was not an issue.
"You won't need your gun Mr Hanna" said a quiet voice. Sam turned towards the bed and saw Hetty was awake. He smiled at her as he replaced his gun. "I didn't mean to wake you" she added.
"I felt someone was watching me but when I saw Callen was still sleeping I knew there wasn't a threat" said Sam.
"Quite so" answered Hetty. "How long has he been asleep?" asked Hetty nodding towards her boy.
Sam glanced at his watch and the luminous glow of the dial showed him it was nearly 3am. "Nearly three hours" he said.
"Good" said Hetty. "He needs it perhaps more than I do" she added smiling.
"Yeah, he's exhausted and he's worried about you" said Sam. "We all are" he added.
"I know but you needn't be. I'm home now" she said.
"Yeah, but that's not gonna stop us, or him, worrying about you" replied Sam.
"I know and I appreciate it more than you know" said Hetty in a rare display of her emotions.
"Are you gonna give him a hard time?" asked Sam with a smile on his face which showed his dimples.
"I don't know what you mean Mr Hanna" said Hetty in mock indignation. He gave her a look and she smiled. "Perhaps… just a little. Just to keep him on his toes and make him feel he's winning the battle."
Sam smiled. He knew Hetty and Callen had history and that they cared deeply for one another, not just as colleagues but on a personal basis. "Y'know he'll be well aware of your games and will be ready for them" Sam said.
"Of course" said Hetty "that's all part of the fun."
